By Mohammed Aminu in Sokoto
The Sokoto State Executive Council has approved a draft law that will enhance community prevention efforts in tackling crimes across the state.
If passed by the state legislature, the new law will ensure that communities deploy local infrastructure and intelligence to support security agencies in the discharge of their responsibilities. The draft law comes as part of a wider amendment to the state penal code promulgated in 1959.
A statement issued Monday in Sokoto by the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Sulaiman Usman, said various methods like neighbourhood watch, community policing, urban or physical design, and comprehensive or multi-disciplinary efforts will now be adopted to sanitise communities and reduce crimes to manageable proportions.
“These strategies will engage residents and the larger communities in addressing factors that contribute to crime and disobedience to law and order and promotion of social vices.
“It also has provision that makes it illegal for any person to allow his or her property to be used for the purpose of committing offences or to harbour any criminal suspected to have committed crimes elsewhere,” the statement read.
Details later…
